1. Technical Field
The disclosure is related generally to turbine systems. More particularly, the disclosure is related to a turbine shroud block removal apparatus.
2. Related Art
Conventional turbo machines, such as gas turbine systems, are utilized to generate power for electric generators. In general, gas turbine systems generate power by passing a fluid (e.g., hot gas) through a compressor and a turbine component of the gas turbine system. More specifically, inlet air may be drawn into a compressor and may be compressed. Once compressed, the inlet air is mixed with fuel to form a combustion product, which may be ignited by a combustor of the gas turbine system to form the operational fluid (e.g., hot gas) of the gas turbine system. The fluid may then flow through a fluid flow path for rotating a plurality of rotating buckets and shaft of the turbine component for generating the power. The fluid may be directed through the turbine component via the plurality of rotating buckets and a plurality of stationary nozzles positioned between the rotating buckets. As the plurality of rotating buckets rotate the shaft of the gas turbine system, a generator, coupled to the shaft, may generate power from the rotation of the shaft.
Conventional gas turbine systems typically include multiple shroud blocks positioned within the turbine casing. More specifically, multiple shroud blocks may be coupled to the turbine casing and may be positioned adjacent the tips of the rotating buckets and/or between stator nozzles of the gas turbine system. The shroud blocks may surround the various stages of rotating buckets and stator nozzles of the gas turbine system, and may form the outer boundary of the operational fluid flowing through the gas turbine system during operation.
When a maintenance process is performed on gas turbine system or an adjustment is made to various components of the gas turbine system, the turbine shroud blocks may typically be removed. For example, when maintenance is performed or adjustments are made to the rotating buckets, stator nozzles and/or the shroud block themselves, the shroud blocks may typically be removed to allow a turbine operator to access, maintain and/or adjust a specific component. Conventionally, the shroud blocks are removed manually by the turbine operator. More specifically, the turbine operator may remove the shroud blocks individually by applying a high force to each shroud block using a conventional instrument (e.g., sledgehammer, crowbar). The turbine operator may often utilize a block of wood, to dissipate a portion of the force being applied to shroud block during the removal process. However, the conventional process of removing the shroud blocks manually includes a substantially high risk of damaging the shroud blocks or components of the gas turbine system surrounding the shroud blocks (e.g., rotating buckets). For example, when striking the shroud block during the removal process, the instrument (e.g., hammer) may ricochet after the strike and hit a rotating bucket positioned adjacent the shroud block being removed. Furthermore, the block of wood used to dissipate the force being applied directly to the shroud block may not absorb enough force, which may ultimately cause structural damage to the shroud block being struck. In addition to the risk of damaging the shroud blocks and/or components of the gas turbine system, the conventional removal process may be time consuming and requires that the gas turbine system be completely inoperable for an extended period of time.